I've been living in my house for 8 years, which has an old hard-wired ADT security system. I've ignored it so far, as I'm not interested in a security system—my previous experience led to way too many false alarms. However, last night turned chaotic when all the smoke alarms and the control panel started going off simultaneously. I discovered they're hard-wired to the security system, and the control panel prompted me for a code I didn't have. I had to pull the wires out of one of the smoke alarms and dismantle the control panel to disconnect everything. Now I'm left wondering what to do next. Should I reconnect it and hope it doesn't go off randomly again? I haven't tested that yet. Should I secure the loose wires and leave everything disconnected, or should I just replace the smoke alarms entirely? I've been meaning to upgrade them anyway since there's only one alarm per floor in the hallway, and I'd prefer one in each bedroom for better coverage.
3 Answers
Honestly, disconnecting that old system sounds like a smart move. It sounds like a lot of hassle for something you don’t even want. Secure those loose wires to avoid any shorts, and definitely replace the smoke alarms with standalone ones like you mentioned. It will give you better coverage without the headache of the control panel going off at random.
You might want to check out Konnected.io. It allows you to reuse those wired sensors while setting up a more modern solution for monitoring. They've got solid support and guides, so it's worth it if you want to bypass the hassle of wireless sensors.
Replacing those smoke detectors is probably the best call. Wired systems tend to be more reliable than wireless ones since you don’t have to stress about changing batteries. If you go with Konnected to link to a new hub, you can keep everything working well. Don't rip everything out just yet!
Totally agree! Their customer service is great, and their how-to videos make the whole process a breeze.